


The Scholar and the Demon

by weneebebe



Category: K-pop, Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Comedy, Demon/Human Relationships, Enthusiastic Consent, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fictional Religion & Theology, Implied Sexual Content, Inspired by Real Events, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, Theology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:27:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28718055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weneebebe/pseuds/weneebebe
Summary: Jooheon is a theology and liberal arts student who is notorious for procrastination, and on the eve of his final thesis paper being due, he accidentally summons a minor demon by jokingly promising his soul if it meant he’d be able to write the paper in one night. Enter Minhyuk, the bored and pretty demon who is the answer to Jooheon’s prayers. But by the end of their pact, Minhyuk wants more than just Jooheon’s soul; he wants his heart, too.*Inspired by the true story of the monk who called on the Devil to produce the codex gigas.
Relationships: Lee Jooheon/Lee Minhyuk
Comments: 16
Kudos: 44





	1. Desperation

Jooheon cracked his back, the satisfying pops traveling down his spine as he stretched his arms over his head. His pretty lips twisted in a grimace at the soreness in his muscles; he’d been sat at the library for the last eight hours. But he hadn’t been as productive as he should have been, or least, as he thought he would be - instead of catching up on his last assignments for the semester, he’d fallen down the rabbit hole of messing with his music programs and writing lyrics. Dreaming up rhymes and rich metaphors were just a little more fun than reviewing the main outcomes of the Council of Nicaea, anyway - but such was the burden of being a theology student in his penultimate semester before earning his master’s degree. He sighed, realizing for the first time in hours that he was, in fact, starving; and so, without having made any progress at all, he packed his things and made his way back to his apartment. Music turned up extra loud to shut out the creeping cold of early winter, he eventually made it back to the familiar space, cramped but preciously decorated with neat piles of books on the floor - there was no room for proper shelves; the faint smell of incense lingered in the air and it welcomed him home sweetly. Jooheon flopped theatrically onto his bed, reaching for his phone only to see that he’d missed a succession of messages from a colleague. As he read, his eyes widened.

_CK: dude  
_ _CK: this deadline is kicking my ass  
_ _CK: are you ready for your mock defense tomorrow?  
_ _CK: im going to be up all night  
_ _CK: I shouldn’t have gone across town to Hyunwoo’s dj thing  
_ _CK: how’s yours going?  
CK: answer your phone, dickhead   
_ _CK: k fine_  
 _CK: im gonna have another red bull and keep writing  
_ _CK: you’re boring_

“Fuck.” Jooheon threw his phone across the bed, and rubbed his temples. _How could I have forgotten that my mock defense is tomorrow? I haven’t even gotten past my outline…_ “Fuck.” He said again and hit “call.”

“Yeah?” Changkyun answered quickly. _Must have been taking a break on his phone,_ Jooheon smirked.

“I’m so fucked,” Jooheon said, massaging his forehead desperately. “I forgot about my defense tomorrow.”

“How the fuck did you forget _that?!”_ Changkyun spat thoughtlessly. “It’s been on your calendar all month. Dude…” he went quiet for a moment, thinking, and softening his tone. “What are you gonna do? Ask for an extension again?”

Jooheon bit his lip. “I can’t ask for another one,” he reminded himself. “I’ve already asked for two this semester and both of them weren’t even for real reasons,” he sighed. “I’m going to have to pull this out of my ass in…” he glanced at the time. “Eight hours,” he lamented, whining. “I gotta go. You doing okay? How’s yours?”

Changkyun laughed ruefully. “It’s shit, but I’ll make it work,” Jooheon could feel his toothy smile through the phone. “You know me. I already have a master’s degree in bullshit.”

Laughter.

“Do your work, Joo,” Changkyun said after a moment. “I better not see you online until after your defense is done tomorrow. Kay?”

“Yeah,” Jooheon agreed. “Good luck, Kyun,” he offered genuinely. “I guess we both need it.”

“Don’t worry,” Changkyun replied sweetly. “We always make it in the end.”

“True.” He smiled a little.

*

Jooheon’s eyes burned. He glanced at the clock again - it was 3 am; his defense was in five hours, and he had only just finished the first section of his paper. He sighed. “What the fuck am I supposed to do?” He lamented, leaning back in his chair. He stared at the blinking cursor in front of him and stretched his arms over his head. “Why the fuck did I decide to write an entire dissertation on the geopolitical implications of the Council of Nicaea? Who _does_ that?” He chastised himself. “Why couldn’t I have picked something simple like the Judas scriptures? Fuck…” his eyes fell on an open textbook on the far side of his desk, and he smirked.

The picture of a medieval illuminated manuscript of a bright red devil dancing in flames stared back at him, the vibrant colours hurting his eyes in the dim light of his desk lamp. His fingers grazed the smooth paper. He remembered the legend of a desperate monk - who was to be executed if he did not complete his scriptures by the morning sun. Jooheon couldn’t help himself. He was not a religious man, just a curious one; he looked over the red devil again, his sharp teeth taunting him. “I wonder, after all this…” he mused, spinning in his chair. “I wonder if after all this work, all this history… is any of it true?” He addressed the thin air. He bent his head, a last-ditch effort. “If anyone is listening… even you,” he looked at the painted devil again, “I’ll give my soul to be able to make this deadline. I can’t lose this.” _I’ll be kicked out of the program if I don’t have it ready,_ he thought. He closed his eyes, burning red from overstimulation, and sighed. Crossing his arms on his desk, he cradled his head, and continued to read over the manuscripts in front of him hoping for divine inspiration to strike.

Suddenly, the floor beneath Jooheon’s socked feet began to rumble a little and grown warm - _an earthquake?_ He wondered, shaken alert by the strange development. He noticed, though, that his desk and materials did not move; just the ground. _What’s happening?_ He wondered, swiveling around in his chair quickly and nearly being knocked right out of it by the sight that greeted him.

“What the _fuck?”_ Jooheon practically shouted at the slim figure of the stranger who was now stood in the centre of his room. “What the fuck are you?” The figure of what looked like a man in dark, tattered robes stood before him -he looked human, with a human face and arms and legs and hands, and Jooheon might have even called him pretty - if not for the black wings that seemed like they might span the entire length of his small room. He swallowed hard.

 _“Who_ the fuck, actually,” the figure corrected, his voice low and gentle. He smoothed his black hair, unbothered by the rudeness. “You’re a master’s candidate, surely you know it’s _who,_ not _what,”_ he smiled, sharp teeth glinting in the lamplight. He stepped closer to Jooheon, who flung himself out of his chair and into the far corner of his cramped room to get some distance between the two of them. Still, the figure moved closer. “Jooheon, you’re the one who asked me here,” he picked up one of the open textbooks from the young man’s desk, examining it. “Oh, they’ve made him look so _beastly,”_ he clicked his tongue. “You know, Lucifer is actually _quite_ handsome. I don’t know why you people have turned him into such a monster.”

Jooheon finally found his voice. “Excuse me, _what?”_ He suddenly felt bold. “You break into my house, and expect me to believe I _asked_ you here?” He rubbed his eyes, his face. “Wait… what do you mean, Lucifer?”

The figure smiled. “Now he asks the right questions,” he set the textbook back down. _“If anyone is listening… even you, I’ll give my soul to be able to make this deadline. I can’t lose this.”_ He repeated Jooheon’s words back to him. “Well, he was listening, and he sent me to make good on your offer,” he explained. “You did ask for help, didn’t you?”

“Wait…” Jooheon’s knees felt weak, and he collapsed against the wall, knees at his chest. “So this is all… it’s all real, then…” he looked around the room at his piles and piles of theological texts, the years he’d spent analyzing and theorizing, picking apart and piecing back together, all presented to him in neat piles of paper and words. “And you… are you the devil?”

The figure laughed heartily, amused by the man’s guess. Jooheon’s face turned a pretty shade of pink. “No,” he explained, dropping to his knees and meeting Jooheon’s eyes, taking his chin in his hand. “I’m Minhyuk,” he introduced himself at last. “And I have come to collect your soul.”

“My _what?!”_

_*_

“Have you calmed down, now?” Minhyuk offered Jooheon a glass of water and stood next to him where he sat on his bed. “Drink,” he instructed. Jooheon eyed the glass suspiciously. “I didn’t do anything to it!” Minhyuk pouted. “Just take it.” He held the glass closer to Jooheon’s face, annoyingly. Jooheon took it from him at last, and drank it down in one.

“Could you… can you please put your wings away?” Jooheon asked. “It’s not that I’m afraid of you or whatever, it’s just… they’re huge and you’re going to knock over all my shit.” He looked at Minhyuk, and they both laughed.

Minhyuk cocked his head cutely, as if observing the young man. “Sure,” he agreed. “Let me just…” he straightened his back and a series of familiar-sounding spinal cracks popped in the silence, as he stretched his arms out at his sides. His wings curled up and seemed to fold into his back, disappearing quite completely before Jooheon’s eyes, widened in disbelief. “There,” he exhaled slowly, the effort of it apparent on his face. “Better now?”

“Much,” Jooheon nodded, holding out his empty glass. “Can I have some more?” He asked.

Minhyuk smirked at Jooheon’s sudden familiarity with him, and was about to object when he thought better of it, and took the glass from him, water filling it seemingly by magic in front of them both. “Here, thirsty,” he gave him back the glass. “Any more tricks you want to see before we get down to business?”

Jooheon drank deeply, Minhyuk’s words taking a moment to process. “Business?” He asked.

Minhyuk climbed onto the bed and sat next to him, backs against the wall. “Yes,” he took the empty glass and set it on the floor. “You asked me for help with your thesis defense.”

“Wait, so you’ll actually help me with this?”

“In exchange for your soul, yes,” Minhyuk reminded him. “I will make it so you are able to finish your paper, and tomorrow you will impress your professors with your work.” He looked around the young man’s room, marveling at all the books and loose papers. “It’s really important to you, all this stuff, isn’t it?” He asked, voice gentle.

Jooheon sighed. “Yeah, it is,” he admitted. “I want to be a theology professor, someday. But not just to spout the same teachings everyone grows up with, I want to figure out how and why humans cling to beliefs so desperately and to be able to teach about how faith impacts the human collective. Why do we make up these stories?” He gestured vaguely to the books on his desk. “Are we born with the desire for divinity?”

Minhyuk patted his thigh. “Haven’t you both asked and answered your own question, Jooheon?” He mused. “You’re sat next to a demon come to devour your soul, and you still wonder why humans cling to religion.”

“I guess that’s true,” Jooheon couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the scene. “So…” he looked at Minhyuk, and remarked how delicate his sharp features were. “How does this work?” He asked at last. “How will you help me?”

“Let’s begin,” Minhyuk smiled, showing off his pretty teeth and rising from the bed. He reached out his hand for the young man to take, and they stood together in the centre of his room.

*

Jooheon’s defense had gone so smoothly and so much better than he’d have imagined that when the adrenaline finally wore off and he made it back to his apartment, he passed out exhausted on his bed. He snored so loudly and slept so soundly that he did not flinch awake when Minhyuk returned, wings and all, to his room.

The pretty demon shrunk his wings away and sat on the edge of the bed, the dip in the mattress not waking the sleeping Jooheon even a little; he sighed. “Sleep now, Jooheon,” he cooed gently, allowing himself the intimate pleasure of running his fingers through his hair. At Minhyuk’s touch, Jooheon sighed cutely, his fluffy cheeks squished against his pillow and his lips in an open pout. Minhyuk felt warm, suddenly. “Maybe I’ll stay a little while longer,” he mused to the thin air. “You're too cute. I don’t want to eat you just yet.”


	2. Ease

As Jooheon neared his front door, he remarked that the floor’s hallway began to smell remarkably like his favourite meal; sniffing the air happily, he realized the smell was in fact coming from his own apartment, and wondered if Changkyun had let himself in again.

“Kyun, you didn’t tell me you were coming by,” he remarked as he let himself in, tossing his keys absent-mindedly onto the kitchen counter. He looked on, and realized he’d been mistaken. “Oh, shit—“ he corrected himself. “You cook?”

Minhyuk spun around from the stovetop wearing one of Jooheon’s old, tattered hoodies. “You haven’t eaten since I arrived,” he noted, almost chastising. “You won’t be a very delicious soul if you keep neglecting yourself like this.” He turned back to the stove and continued stirring the pot of boiling pasta. “Go on, wash up for dinner. How did your feedback session go?”

Jooheon did as he was told and went into the bedroom to change and wash the day from his face and hands. “It was great,” he called back, choosing for the moment to ignore the strange comfort he felt in Minhyuk’s presence. “My profs were really thrilled with the work and they’re looking forward to the next session.” He wandered back into the kitchen and leaned against the counter off to the side of the stove, and snuck a piece of cut pepper as a snack.

Minhyuk smiled. “Good,” he nodded. “Who’s Kyun?” He asked, curious. “Boyfriend?”

Jooheon shook his head and laughed. “No, no. He’s another master’s student in the program. He wants to move to America and teach at his father’s university when we’re all done and graduated,” he explained. “He lets himself in a lot.”

The pretty demon nodded, understanding. “Does he know what you’ve done?” He asked, moving to drain the pasta - the sauce was nearly ready, too. He looked at Jooheon with careful eyes. Jooheon’s cheeks felt suddenly hot.

“No,” he admitted, turning away from Minhyuk on the pretext of wanting to straighten the drying rack next to the sink. “No, I haven’t. No one would believe any of this,” he explained. “I barely believe it myself.” He took a moment to look Minhyuk up and down. “Why are you wearing my clothes?”

Minhyuk deflected, offering a spoonful of sauce for Jooheon to taste. “It’s good, right?” He beamed. “While you were at the university I spent some time getting to know you.” He continued stirring the sauce. “Your soul smells good,” he commented as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “I wanted to change into something comfortable, since I’m going to be here for a while.”

The young man was confused. “Wait. What? How long?” Jooheon took down plates for Minhyuk to ladle pasta. “My defense went well,” he recalled. “Isn't the deal done?”

Minhyuk hummed. “I’ve been thinking,” he mused. “You’re too cute to eat right away—”

“Could you maybe stop calling me too cute to eat? It’s weird.”

“Fine. I’m _interested_ by you,” Minhyuk corrected himself. “I was thinking. I’d quite like to see you get your master’s in theology before I devour your yummy soul. A boy spends his whole academic life searching for a grand answer to man’s biggest question, all the while knowing the truth. It’s poetic. Humans are fascinating.”

Jooheon made a face. “I think I liked it better when you said I was too cute to eat.” He thought for a moment. He let Minhyuk pile the pasta onto his plate, and took them to the coffee table to eat. “So I’m stuck with you until I graduate?” He changed the subject. “Maybe I should charge you rent,” he mused. “And if you’re gonna be wearing my clothes, you can help with the laundry, too.”

Minhyuk joined him on the sofa and sniffed happily at the pasta in his lap. “Ordering me around like a new bride,” he laughed. “If you’re sweet to me, I’ll cook like this for you every night,” he teased back. “Besides, if you let yourself go, you won’t be much of a meal for me. That’s hardly fair.”

“Actually, um.” Jooheon puffed his cheeks a little at that. “Could you maybe stop reminding me that you’re going to eat me in six months?” He frowned as he watched Minhyuk slurp the spaghetti. _This guy’s comedic timing is too much,_ he thought ruefully. “I don’t know how many humans you’ve met but we don’t really like being reminded that we’re going to die.”

Minhyuk was unbothered. “You’re not going to die, not really,” he corrected the young man, and tapped his untouched plate. “Eat, Jooheon. I can hear your stomach rumbling.”

“What do you mean, I’m not really going to die?” Jooheon pressed on.

Minhyuk looked at him, eyes calculating, but gentle. His stare made Jooheon blush. “Eat, Jooheon.”

And the matter was closed.

*

Minhyuk stood in the kitchen in the still of the morning, the cold bright light of January illuminating the small apartment with a blue glow. He hummed to himself as he cracked eggs into the hot pan, and wondered if the smell of bacon might awaken his charge in time for his lecture. The strips beginning to sizzle, now, he almost laughed out loud when he heard the young man stretch and groan like a pterodactyl in the next room, knowing his hunch had been correct. Soon, a barely-sentient Jooheon came shuffling out of his bedroom, robe haphazardly tied around his half-dressed body. “Morning, sleeping beauty,” Minhyuk teased. “Come, eat. You’ll be late if you don’t hurry up.”

“It’s just one checkpoint lecture, it’s not a big deal,” Jooheon leaned against the counter, expectantly waiting for Minhyuk to plate his breakfast.

Minhyuk clicked his tongue and handed over his food. “How _quickly_ he forgets,” he sighed playfully. “The deal we made, Jooheon, is for my help to get your master’s degree. So I am bound to do what I can to ensure that you succeed.”

“And that includes making me breakfast and forcing me to go to an 8am lecture?”

“Exactly.”

“Can I have some more bacon?”

*

“It’s easy! This button makes you go faster, this one makes you jump…” Jooheon took the controller from Minhyuk. “Just watch me for a bit, you’ll get it.” He laughed at Minhyuk’s frustrated groan. The pair were sat together on the floor in front of the tv, playing - or trying to, anyway - Mario Kart.

Not to be outdone, Minhyuk snatched the controller back. “I’ll figure it out! I’m a thousand years old, this is child’s play,” he puffed out his cheeks cutely.

“If it’s child’s play, how come you suck at it?” Jooheon teased.

“Hey!”

*

Jooheon awoke suddenly, from a dream he could not remember. Eyes adjusting to the darkness around him, he was surprised to see Minhyuk at his bedside, knees folded up at his chest; _did he fall asleep watching me?_ Jooheon wondered. _Like this, without the wings… he’s pretty,_ he admitted. Before he could think better of it, he reached out and smoothed Minhyuk’s long black fringe from his placid, sleeping face.

 _I don’t mind… if it’s you that eats me,_ Jooheon found himself thinking.

*

Jooheon shut his textbook with a satisfying crack that split the night, and startled Minhyuk out of his reverie - he’d been reading one of Jooheon’s old papers with all the seriousness of a jury. “I’m done for the night, no more of this,” he pronounced, swiveling around in his desk chair. “Come on, let’s have a drink,” he said, pulling Minhyuk up from his perch on the edge of the bed. “You drink, don’t you?” He suddenly wondered as they rounded the corner to the sofa.

“I do,” Minhyuk revealed. “But you probably wouldn’t like it,” he made a face and got glasses down from the cupboard while Jooheon found the wine.

“Why not?” Jooheon asked, curious as he filled their glasses. “Is it too far beyond my mortal comprehension?” He asked, affecting a scholarly, silly voice making Minhyuk snort with laughter.

“Maybe,” he smirked, clinking his glass against Jooheon’s. “Our drink of choice is made from unfulfilled dreams and sulfur.”

Jooheon stared at him in disbelief. “And that tastes _good?”_

“Not especially. Which is why we don’t drink very often,” he admitted. “So, if you get me drunk, young man, we’re going to have a problem.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Jooheon laughed. “But I do have questions,” he took a long sip of his wine. “Can I ask you stuff?”

Minhyuk nodded. “Frankly I’m surprised you didn’t assault me with questions when I first showed up,” he smiled into his glass. “Go on, I’m feeling generous. Ask me anything you want.”

“How old are you, really?”

“Ancient. I’ve lost count.”

“That’s a cop-out. Can you feel pain?”

“Yes. Next question.”

“What are you afraid of?”

“Cars. They go too fast and you humans don’t use them properly.”

“Do demons fall in love?”

Minhyuk sipped his wine. “Next question.”

“Hey!” Jooheon pouted. “You said I could ask you anything,” he reminded him. “So is that a yes?” He wondered.

Minhyuk sighed. “This game isn’t fun anymore, Jooheon.” He downed the rest of his glass, and as he held it, it refilled as if by magic. He drank again. “Ask me something else.”

“The demon doth protest too much,” Jooheon paraphrased Hamlet. “So, you do? Demons, I mean.”

Minhyuk could feel he wasn’t going to get out of this so easily. He gave in. “I suppose we do. I did, once.”

“What happened?” Jooheon slid imperceptibly closer to Minhyuk on the sofa, interest piqued.

“It’s a long story,” Minhyuk lolled his head on the back of the sofa, turning to look at Jooheon and how intently he was listening. “A long, long, long time ago… someone called out for help just like you did. And I answered; he was beautiful. I suppose you could say it was “love at first sight” like you humans call it.”

“But you had to eat- you devoured him, in the end, didn’t you? You had a contract with him,” Jooheon realized. “Is that why you look so sad now?” He asked.

Minhyuk shook his head no. “He was taken away from me before the contract was done.” He frowned against his glass.

“Who took him away?” Jooheon pressed, suddenly sad for him. “I thought the contract bound you to him?”

Minhyuk sighed, a wry smile revealing his pretty teeth. “The big man upstairs had other plans for him. I was tricked,” he lamented, drinking deeply. “I was tricked, and he was taken away from me. He was so pretty…” he examined the glass in his hand, swirling the wine around slowly. “What a _frustrating_ emotion.”

“You’re more human than you think,” Jooheon was touched. “Tell me about him,” he added gently. “Tell me a story.” He leaned his head against the back of the sofa and angled himself closer.

“He was a great poet, beloved by so many,” Minhyuk explained, drinking deeply. “The Emperor’s favourite attendant, he practically never left his side. But he was struck by a horrid spell of writer’s block, and could not produce any more poems or songs for his king. This creative drought lasted for months, almost a year. The emperor’s affections turned sour, and he was given an ultimatum: complete his collection of works by the Emperor’s birthday, or be cast out of the kingdom.”

“Damn,” Jooheon shook his head. “It was rough back then.”

“Very,” Minhyuk agreed. “In desperation, the poet called out to the Devil for help; he is much more attractive an option, and he is more forgiving than God is, after all—”

“Wait, actually?”

“God is a prick,” Minhyuk replied, deadpan, enjoying the disbelief on Jooheon’s pretty face. “Lucifer is far more accommodating.” Minhyuk sighed. “So, I was sent to help him, in exchange for his soul. You know the drill. But before I could get my payment, so to speak… God took him away for his own.”

“Greedy.”

“Yeah,” Minhyuk nodded. “I never told anyone that, not even my boss.”

“Lucifer?"

“Exactly. How ridiculous; a demon falling in love with the man he’s meant to consume.” Minhyuk’s eyes turned downcast and he set his empty glass on the table.

Jooheon suddenly felt sad. “Did he… did he love you back?” He asked. He had to know; something in his heart ached.

“I think he did, in his own way. But it was all over before anything really came of it. I told myself, that’s it, no more feelings. Just do your job; but it’s…” he turned to look at Jooheon again, sad eyes like round, deep pools of sparkling galaxy. “It’s difficult.”

Jooheon’s cheeks felt pink. “Why?” He rolled his head onto Minhyuk’s shoulder and looked up at him through his lashes.

Minhyuk observed Jooheon closely, and almost looked like he was about to say something; but he bit his lip and shook his head gently. “Tell me a story now, it’s your turn,” he tried to change the subject.

“Minhyuk,” Jooheon said his name carefully, and didn’t break eye contact. “Is it happening again?” Minhyuk blushed, and tried to shrug Jooheon off his shoulder. Jooheon was undeterred. “Minhyuk,” he pressed gently. “Do you love me?”


	3. Pomises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is nsfw! please skip ahead if you are uncomfortable!

“Minhyuk,” Jooheon said his name carefully, and didn’t break eye contact. “Is it happening again?” Minhyuk blushed, and tried to shrug Jooheon off his shoulder. Jooheon was undeterred. “Minhyuk,” he pressed gently. “Do you love me?”

Minhyuk’s eyes turned glassy, as though hearing his name on Jooheon’s tongue made something inside him snap. “Don’t...” he said softly. “I should leave you for a bit, I—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Jooheon silenced him with a kiss; his warm hands encircling Minhyuk’s cheeks, lips against lips and heartbeats racing. Minhyuk sighed into the kiss, cheeks warm to the touch from too much wine. Before he could stop himself, he found himself in Jooheon’s lap, arms and legs wrapped around the young man. “Jooheon...” he breathed against his lips, “shit, I...” he hesitated a moment and pressed their foreheads together. “Jooheon, I’m sorry.”

Jooheon held Minhyuk’s slim waist and shook his head. “No...” he replied, “there’s no point in being sorry, is there?” he kissed him chastely. “It’s okay, Minhyuk,” he held his cheek. “It’s okay. Humans do this all the time, you know,” he couldn’t resist a smirk. “We devour each other, too.” He held the pretty demon’s gaze for a beat longer. “I know the contract isn’t complete, but...” he kissed him slowly. “What if I let you consume me in another way?”

Minhyuk pressed their bodies close. “Jooheon...” he studied him carefully. “You’re not afraid of me...?” He curled his fingers through the young man’s hair. “You’re not...”

Jooheon kissed him again. “No,” he replied. “Minhyuk, you...” he wrapped his arms around Minhyuk’s neck. “You’re so much more human than you know.” He kissed Minhyuk’s nose.

“Jooheon...” Minhyuk sighed, and held Jooheon’s face in his hands like it was a rare and precious thing. “I want to do this with you, Jooheon. Devour me... like humans do.” He kissed him hungrily, hips rolling against Jooheon’s and making the young man groan into his mouth. Jooheon slipped his hands underneath the fabric of Minhyuk’s shirt - well, _his_ shirt, but that didn’t matter now - and coaxed it off of the pretty demon’s slim body. He let Minhyuk pull off his own shirt and begin to tug impatiently at his belt; Jooheon pulled it off easily, letting it fall to the floor with a clink as the buckle hit the hardwood.

Minhyuk pressed kisses down Jooheon’s neck, his shoulder, down his chest, exalting him with kisses that made him dizzy with want. “You’re so soft,” Minhyuk marveled, his long, pretty fingers splayed out against Jooheon’s defined chest. He held his chin in his hand and kissed him again, rolling his hips in Jooheon’s lap. Jooheon moaned against Minhyuk’s lips, his own hand resting obediently at the button of the pretty demon’s jeans.

“Can I?” Jooheon asked, pulling gently on the waistband, loose for the fact that Minhyuk had slimmer hips than he did; it made Jooheon’s heart jump to feel the smooth skin there. “Can I take these off of you?” He kissed Minhyuk’s neck.

Minhyuk nodded, allowing the young man to unbutton them and helped him slip them off, tossing them to the floor. He tugged playfully at Jooheon’s sweats, teasing the skin just below the elastic and rolling their hips together, a satisfied sigh pushing past both men’s lips at the friction. His hand dipped underneath the fabric of his boxers at last, and he took hold of Jooheon’s length, slowly beginning to stroke. Jooheon threw his head back against the sofa and hissed in delight and surprise at the feeling. “It’s so easy to make humans feel good,” Minhyuk purred against Jooheon’s neck. “Can I make you feel good, Jooheon?” he asked, teeth against expectant skin.

“Min... Minhyuk...” Jooheon babbled, trying not to lose himself as Minhyuk stroked him. “Fuck...” Minhyuk bit a kiss on his neck, soothing it with his tongue knowing that it would leave a mark. _He’s mine,_ he reminded himself. _He’s going to be mine forever… and he wants me. He wants me…_ Minhyuk slipped Jooheon’s sweatpants off and they crumpled to the floor with a gentle thud - he properly climbed back into Jooheon’s lap and eased himself down onto him, clinging to him with strong fingers leaving little crescent-moons pressed into his skin.

Jooheon sighed in relief at the feeling of Minhyuk around him, and wrapped his arms around the pretty demon’s slim body, rushing them together. They built a rhythm together, sighing into each other’s necks and kissing when they caught their breath - moaning together and clawing at each other’s backs, desperate for more. Jooheon’s entire body was on fire; he’d never felt like this before with anyone - something inside him snapped and he wanted more; he began to stroke Minhyuk in his lap as he quickened his pace, thrusting up and into him, every cry from the demon’s lips making him fall more in love. “Jooheon, Jooheon…” Minhyuk clung to him and rolled his hips, entirely out of his control. “Tell me… tell me…” he pressed their foreheads together.

“Tell you what…?” Jooheon panted, on the verge of losing himself entirely in the way Minhyuk looked at him. “I’ll tell you anything…”

“Tell me you’re mine… please…” Minhyuk rocked his hips, desperate to be filled. “Please…”

Jooheon held the back of Minhyuk’s neck and brought their lips together in a deep, slow kiss as he continued to stroke him. “I’m yours…” he growled against Minhyuk’s lips. “I’m yours…” He bucked his hips into Minhyuk, and with that, he felt the demon spill into his hand. He slowed his strokes, Minhyuk stuttering forward in his arms as he continued to rock his hips. “And you’re mine,” Jooheon murmured against his cheek as he thrust deeper. “You’re mine, Minhyuk…” he let a last throaty groan rip through him as he came, making Minhyuk’s eyes fly open and throw his head back, a cry that split the night.

Minhyuk collapsed against Jooheon’s chest, kissing his neck and cheeks and cupping his face in his hands. “You’re so pretty,” he cooed, his heartbeat calming as he lay against Jooheon’s bare skin. He playfully licked a stripe from his collarbone to his ear. “Everything about you is sweet. How is that possible?”

The young man laughed softly, catching his breath. He held Minhyuk in his arms, suddenly aware of how precious and fragile he seemed - entirely the opposite of the dark, frightening figure that had greeted him in the middle of the night all those months ago. “You’re sweet, too,” Jooheon replied, smoothing the demon’s fringe from his forehead. They sat like that for a while, in a warm silence - they knew a line had been squarely crossed now, and it was fair to wonder what their next move should be. But for now, at least, in the still of the evening, there was a comfort to holding each other and listening as each other’s heart and breath slowed down.

Jooheon spoke eventually. “Sleep with me tonight,” he hugged Minhyuk close. “Don’t fly off.” A hand curled through Minhyuk’s hair at the base of his neck. “I don’t... I don’t want you to go away.”

Minhyuk’s heart ached. “I won’t go anywhere.” He kissed Jooheon’s forehead. “You’re mine. I won’t leave you.” He nestled into Jooheon’s neck, the young man’s heartbeat thumping gently in the demon’s ear. Comforting.

*

Jooheon could not sleep. His arm wrapped around the curve of Minhyuk’s waist, he slid his hand up his back and traced his shoulder blade with a delicate finger. _Your wings..._

“What’s up, Jooheon?” Minhyuk asked sleepily, feeling the young man’s curious fingers on his skin.

“Turn around,” Jooheon’s voice was small. Minhyuk obeyed, and turned in the bed to face him. He wrapped his arms protectively around Jooheon’s warm body and pulled him closer, kissing the top of his head. “Minhyuk...” he kissed at his neck and collarbone where he could reach.

“What is it?” Minhyuk asked, curling their legs together.

Jooheon hesitated, but he had to ask. He was curious. “Does it hurt?” Jooheon asked. “When you’ll...”

“No,” Minhyuk replied quickly. “I will make it so you don’t feel any pain. You're too precious to me.”

“Promise me,” Jooheon kissed his hand and held it against his lips. “Promise me it won’t hurt.”

“I promise,” Minhyuk held him close, arms and legs encircling him; unwilling to ever let him go.


	4. Eternity

The Spring air was warm and yet somehow cool on Jooheon’s skin. He lifted his jacket collar up around his neck and smiled, remembering the morning.

_“Wear a jacket, it’s not summer yet,” Minhyuk called sweetly from the sofa. He’d become rather taken with Jooheon’s Netflix account, and was in the middle of Bridgerton. “You look so handsome,” he hooked his arms over the edge of the sofa and watched Jooheon slip his shoes on in the entryway._

_“I wish you were coming,” Jooheon pouted. “Why can’t you come see me graduate?” He stood in front of Minhyuk, and curled fingers through his hair._

_Minhyuk melted against his touch. “First of all, I’ll cry if I go. And second, I can’t be around anyone else but the one I’ve made my contract with. If any other humans see me, they’ll burst.”_

_Jooheon made a face. “You’re just saying that so you can avoid crying like a baby.”_

_“You’ll never know, now, will you.” Minhyuk teased back. He pulled gently on Jooheon’s jacket and brought his face close for a kiss. “You look beautiful,” he smiled against his lips. “Congratulations.”_

Jooheon rounded the corner and walked up the path to the assembly garden. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

_CK: where are you?_

_JH: literally just arrived   
_ _JH: I’m walking through the quad now_

 _CK: hurry up_  
 _CK: I’ve got your cap and fluffy cape  
_ _CK: we all look so stupid_

_JH: can’t wait_

Jooheon slipped his phone back in his pocket and stood still, suddenly - _after this,_ he thought, _after this... no._ He shook his head. _Not now. You’ve done it, Jooheon. You’ve done what you needed to and you’ve made a mark. It’s okay now._

“I wish you were here,” he said to the air, wondering if Minhyuk’s power was enough to hear him when they were not together. “I wish you were here.”

*

“So that’s it, then?” Jooheon asked, taking a sip of his champagne. “You’re leaving tonight?”

“Actually, in a couple hours,” Changkyun corrected him, downing the rest of his glass and grabbing another from a nearby tray. “Dad booked the flight for me. There was a snap resignation in the Lit department and he says it’s a good entry-level post for me.”

Jooheon nodded along. “Are you excited about it?” He finished his glass and quickly picked up a full replacement from the tray.

“Excited enough,” Changkyun mused. “I mean, this was the plan, right?”

Jooheon laughed. _If only you knew,_ he thought. “I’ll miss you,” he smiled. "Take care of yourself, and become a great teacher, okay?" 

Changkyun ran a hand through his hair. “You big baby,” he playfully thwacked his arm. “Come visit me once I’m settled,” he offered. “I’ll show you New York.”

“Yeah,” Jooheon felt like crying. He pulled Changkyun into a tight hug. “Sounds good,” he tried to smile. “I’ll come visit you in New York, maybe in the Summer.”

Changkyun hugged him back, arms tight. “I should go, I haven’t even packed yet,” he laughed, entirely unaware of the dagger in Jooheon’s chest.

*

“Honey, I’m home!” Jooheon called, cheeks flushed almost red with drink. His keys clattered on the kitchen counter. Kicking the door closed, he flopped onto the sofa and groaned.

Minhyuk emerged from Jooheon’s bedroom where he had been reading Jooheon’s textbooks and playfully crossing out the things the theologians had gotten wrong. “Jooheon?” He questioned the lump on the couch. “Oh, sweetheart... what have you done?” He knelt by the couch and combed the hair from his eyes. He sniffled. “Oh, you’re _very_ drunk,” he cooed gently, “come to bed. Come on,” he slipped off Jooheon’s shoes.

“Min, Min...” Jooheon groaned. “Are you proud of me?” He buried his face in a pillow. “I did my best...”

“Yes you did,” Minhyuk continued combing and petting his hair. “Of course I am,” he replied. “Come on, love. Let’s get you out of these clothes, hmm?” He slipped off Jooheon’s socks and smiled a little when his toes curled at the sudden cool air. Carefully turning Jooheon onto his back, he unbuttoned his shirt, loosened his tie. “That’s better, huh?” He smiled and kissed his forehead.

“Are you hungry yet, Min?” Jooheon smiled in his drunkenness and reached for him, hands opening and closing like a toddler’s. “I wonder if I taste like champagne…” He pulled Minhyuk on top of him and held him close. “Eat me, Minnie. It’s okay now.”

Minhyuk’s heart broke a little to see Jooheon like this. “Come on, silly,” he tried to pry himself from Jooheon’s grasp. “It’s time for bed.” Jooheon let himself be propped up by Minhyuk and led into his bedroom once Minhyuk check he’d locked the front door. The pretty demon finished stripping him of his suit, and laid him down in bed gently, careful of his head. “That’s better now,” he smiled. “Jooheon…” his long fingers traced lines across the young man’s bare chest, leaving a trail of little goosebumps in their wake like waves on the sea. “Jooheon, you’re so pretty…”

Jooheon blushed, his face still hot. He pressed his hands to his cheeks, squishing them cutely. “Min, I’m scared,” he admitted in the dark. “I’m scared it’s going to hurt and I’m going to cry.”

Minhyuk nestled in bed next to him, cradling him in his arms. “I promise you it won’t hurt,” he reminded him. “Let’s not talk about it now, okay? It’s time for sleep, Jooheon.”

“Sleep…” Jooheon repeated, eyes heavy. “Stay with me, don’t go. Don’t read my books while I’m sleeping and leave me…” he closed his eyes and relaxed under his soothing touch.

“I won’t go anywhere,” Minhyuk promised. “I’m right here.”

The soft sound of Jooheon falling asleep against his chest made his heart ache.

*

“You promised you’d stay in bed with me,” Jooheon’s sleepy voice was whiny. Minhyuk turned around from where he’d been stood at the balcony window, watching the moon. “Come back,” Jooheon reached out his hand, waiting patiently as he leaned against the living room wall.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Minhyuk was apologetic. “I didn’t think you would wake up. I was just doing some thinking.” He went to Jooheon and enveloped him in a tight embrace. “Let’s go back to bed.” Minhyuk held his hand and walked the half-sleeping young man back into his room, and wrapped him sweetly in his blanket. “Jooheon, has the champagne worn off now?” He asked gently, combing the hair from his eyes. “I want to talk to you.”

Jooheon nodded, waking up more under Minhyuk’s touch. “I think so,” he replied, feeling his cheeks. “I’m not dizzy anymore,” he realized. “Yeah, I’m fine.” His eyes adjusted to the darkness, he looked at Minhyuk’s beautiful, serious face. “What is it?” He asked.

“Jooheon, I…” he kissed his forehead. “You are so precious to me… you know that, don’t you?”

Jooheon smiled. “I know,” he replied.

“And you know what’s coming next, right?”

“I know, Minnie. I’ve known since you first came here.”

Minhyuk’s heart broke. “Jooheon, if… if I made it so you could stay with me, would you want that?”

At that, Jooheon’s interest was piqued. “Stay with you? You wouldn’t actually eat me?” He pouted, confused. “But if you go back on the contract, what will happen to you?” His voice was worried. “I don’t want you to get hurt—”

Minhyuk shushed him with a gentle kiss. “There is a way for us to be together, but I need to know you’d be okay with it.” He looked into Jooheon’s pretty eyes. “My sweet-soul boy,” he nuzzled their noses. “I can make you like me. I can… I can take your soul and make you like me.” He searched Jooheon’s eyes. “Do you understand?”

Jooheon nodded. “I’ll become like… like you?” His hands traveled to Minhyuk’s back where his wings should be, and caressed the skin of his shoulder blades. He cocked his head. “And we won’t be separated?” He asked, voice childlike.

“We won’t be separated,” Minhyuk parroted sweetly. “We can be together, forever,” he explained. “And nothing will take me away from you.” He stroked Jooheon’s cheek and cupped his face preciously in his hand. “And it won’t hurt, I promise.”

Jooheon smiled at that; his childish fear of pain on display in this absurd scenario made him want to laugh. “You take such care of me,” he said, drawing Minhyuk closer. “Do it,” he said finally, lips against Minhyuk’s neck. He kissed the skin there slowly. “Whatever it is, it’s okay. I just want to be with you.” He wrapped their legs together, grounding him to the beautiful demon in his arms. “I’m ready,” he said, more to himself than to Minhyuk.

“You brave boy,” Minhyuk felt like crying. “Do you love me, Jooheon?” He asked, voice almost shaking.

“Yes,” Jooheon said at last. “I love you, Minhyuk.” He kissed him gently. “I love you.”

Minhyuk held him tightly. “And you’re sure? You’re sure you’re ready.”

“Yes.”

“Sit up, Jooheon. Sit with me.” The pair settled on the edge of the bed, hands clasped together on Minhyuk’s thigh. “Look at me, Jooheon.” Jooheon’s eyes did not move from Minhyuk’s face; he did as he was told. “Kiss me.”

Again, Jooheon obeyed. He let Minhyuk’s strong hands take his face, and kiss him deeply. Lips on lips and tongues finding each other, Jooheon’s body began to grow warm, and his eyes heavy. “Close your eyes and sleep, now,” Minhyuk instructed against his lips. “And let me kiss you.” Jooheon only nodded, suddenly overcome with fatigue and warmth. As he closed his eyes, he saw Minhyuk’s beautiful, enormous wings emerge and envelop the both of them; and then, it went dark.

*

“Wake up, Jooheon,” Minhyuk’s voice seemed to call him back from a deep, deep sleep - Jooheon’s entire body felt heavy, and the warmth that had once enveloped him so completely had entirely dissipated, and his body felt cold. He shivered awake, instinctively reaching for Minhyuk though his eyes were blurry, and he could not see. “Wake up, my sweet-soul boy,” Minhyuk kissed his forehead, bringing Jooheon out at last.

“Min,” Jooheon said finally, his throat hurting as if he’d been singing for hours. He found himself in Minhyuk’s arms, just like he’d been before - but they were no longer in his bedroom; _where are we?_ He wondered. “Min, where—”

“The lower world,” Minhyuk explained, embracing him tightly, protective hands curling through Jooheon’s hair. “It’s done, Jooheon. My brave boy.”

Jooheon rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust them to his new surroundings. It was cold, and dark; but there was a beauty to the volcanic rock and ashen grass below them where they lay. The sky above them was a faded shade of purple, and black clouds swirled prettily overhead. It was quiet, and still. Jooheon rested his head against Minhyuk’s bare shoulder, his wings shrunken back and out of sight. “You’re the same,” he noted at last. “You look the same to me.”

“And you to me,” Minhyuk smiled. “Are you scared, Jooheon?”

Jooheon shook his head no. “You’re with me,” he explained. “You’re with me, and that’s enough.”

Minhyuk smiled. “Do you want to see your wings, sweetheart?”

“Now he asks the right questions,” Jooheon smiled, parroting Minhyuk’s words from their first meeting.

“You little shit. Don’t be cheeky.”

“You love my cheeks.”

“That’s true.”


End file.
